Synod of Bishops: A Month-Long Summit to Address Key Issues

The Catholic Church held a month-long summit in Rome called the Synod of Bishops, which aimed to discuss and answer important questions about the future of the Church. In a departure from previous synods, this year's gathering included non-clergy members, such as laypeople and young individuals, who actively participated in small group discussions. The synod tackled significant topics such as the possibility of married priests, the role of women as priests, and the inclusion of LGBTQ Catholics. While the final document released by the synod did not explicitly mention LGBTQ issues, it did address the need for the Church to examine matters related to sexuality. Furthermore, although no decision was made regarding the ordination of women, the synod called for the publication of reports from previous commissions to evaluate the possibility of allowing women to serve as deacons in the Church.